


Visitors at the Mill

by pupeez4eva



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Gen, Humor, M/M, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-10
Updated: 2018-08-06
Packaged: 2019-05-20 13:23:58
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,977
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14895408
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pupeez4eva/pseuds/pupeez4eva
Summary: Wherein the Mill is suddenly a hotspot for time travel, and Aaron and Robert just really wish younger versions of their family members would stop showing up unexpectedly.





	1. Vic and Andy

The way it first happened was almost anticlimactic. Aaron and Robert were standing in the kitchen, chatting about what they should make Liv for dinner — she’d only been back from the Youth Offenders Centre a few days, and was still struggling with getting used to not having Gerry around —  and when they turned around, Andy and Vic are standing there, staring at them.

 

Robert let out a startle yell. “Andy! What the hell?!” He didn’t seem to notice that his brother was not alone at this point, with Vic slightly obscured behind her brother's body.

 

“Robert?” Andy was staring at him, his mouth hanging open.

 

“Uh, Robert,” Aaron said, unable to take his eyes off the new arrivals. “Is that — ?” 

 

“What are you _doing_ here?” Robert asked, striding forward. Andy opened his mouth to say something, but was cut off as Robert pulled him into a rough hug. “Finally decided to come back, huh?” 

 

“This doesn't make sense,” Aaron said, the words barely audible.

 

Robert pulled away, grinning. “Aaron!” He turned to his husband. “Andy’s back! Can you believe — ”

 

“Rob are you — you _do_ see that right?” Aaron said, gesturing to the person standing next to Andy, while said person — Vic — said, at the same time, “Oh my God, _Aaron?”_

 

Robert turned and stared. “Vic?” he managed, after a few tries.

 

His sister stared back at him, looking far too young. She couldn’t have been older than fifteen. 

 

“How much did we drink last night?” Aaron asked, and Robert found himself unable to answer. The answer was _nothing_ because obviously getting off their heads was the last thing they were going to do with Liv’s drinking problem. Not to mention they'd gotten rid of all the alcohol in the house.

 

Robert silently walked over to the couch and sat down. He looked away and looked back. Vic and Andy were still standing there, staring at him. He looked away again.

 

“Oh my God,” he heard Vic say. “That’s _Rob.”_

 

“Yeah,” Andy said numbly. “He looks old.”

 

Well _that_ got him. “Geez Andy, have you even _seen_ yourself lately?” Well, Robert sure hadn’t, but he was fairly certain his brother looked _a lot_ older than him. He’d aged well. 

 

Andy and Vic both took steps back, as if shocked that he’d actually spoken. 

 

“Oh my God,” Aaron said again, and Robert turned back at him. He was still standing in the kitchen, his eyes wide. “Jesus, Vic can’t even be old enough to drink yet.”

 

Vic scowled at him. “Yeah well you look old too! What the hell happened to you guys? Where _are_ we?” 

 

Andy tugged Vic behind him slightly, and stood in front of her almost protectively. It made Robert want to roll his eyes, because honestly, what did Andy _think_ they were going to do? 

 

“This is…our home,” Aaron said, still staring at them. “And as for what happened…I have no idea.” 

 

“I think we all need a drink,” Robert said, resisting the urge to bury his head in his hands. They were just lucky Seb hadn't started crying yet, and that Liv was still asleep. The last thing they needed to do was complicate this further.

 

“Vic’s not old enough to drink,” Andy snapped, as if Robert actually needed a reminder of that.

 

“Right,” Aaron said, getting up and walking over. “There’s…obviously something going on.” 

 

Andy and Vic stared at him blankly. 

 

“You both look…younger. Er, what’s the last thing you remember?” 

 

Andy scowled. “Well you took advantage of her, for a start.”

 

Aaron stared. “What?”

 

“You. And Victoria. _Together,_ even though she’s just a kid. Daz and I caught you, remember?” 

 

“What’s he talking about?” Robert asked, frowning. 

 

Aaron stiffened. “Ah, nothing. Let’s just move on, yeah? So, uh — that happened in what, 2009? And it’s 2018 now — ”

 

“Hold on, _what?!”_ Vic shrieked. “No, that can’t be right!”

 

“Vic, I sure as hell didn’t age this much in a day.” 

 

Vic shook her head rapidly. “No, that doesn’t make _any_ sense — ” She stared between the two of them, her mouth opening and closing. “I don’t _understand.”_

 

Andy put a comforting hand on Vic’s shoulder, and scowled at Robert, as if it was all his fault. Robert wondered if going back to bed would be a bad idea.

 

“I don’t understand either,” Aaron said. “Want some breakfast?”

 

Both Vic and Andy stared at him blankly.

 

“It’s early,” Aaron said, almost defensively. “We had a late night.”

 

Yeah, they’d definitely had a late night, only not the kind of late night he would have liked, what with having a crying baby in the house and everything. 

 

“Hold on, why are you here _together?”_ Andy asked, as if only just realising. “How do you even know each other? Robert, you don’t even live in the village anymore.”

 

“It’s been nine years Andy,” Robert reminded him (even as the words made his head spin — _none_ of this made any sense). “A lot’s changed. And we’re both here because — ”

 

“We both live here,” Aaron supplied, walking back to the kitchen. “Toast or cereal?” 

 

“Wait, you’re roommates?” Vic asked, confused.

 

“Husbands,” Aaron corrected. “Robert, what are you having?” 

 

“Ahh, maybe I should do that — ”

 

“Oh my God, I am capable of making _toast_ you know.” 

 

_“What?!”_

 

Both of them turned back to Vic and Andy, who were gaping at them. 

 

“I think I misheard you,” Andy said. “It sounded like you said husbands?” His brow furrowed, as if trying to figure out what they _really_ meant.

 

“Yes, that’s what he meant." Andy glanced between them, uncomprehending. Robert sighed. “Andy. We are _married._ ” 

 

God, Robert didn’t know what was happening, but this was _tiring._

 

“But — you can’t be,” Andy said, shaking his head. “You…you aren’t gay. And _he’s_ not gay! He was just with Vic, for Christ’s sake!”

 

Robert took a moment to process that, and turned back to Aaron, who’s face was now beet red.

 

“In my defence,” his husband said, “I was a stupid, closeted teenager, and Vic was…a girl.”

 

“My _sister._ You slept with my _sister.”_

 

“You’re _serious,”_ Andy said, his jaw dropping open.

 

Vic simply stood there, staring at them with wide eyes.

 

Robert turned to Andy. “Yeah. And I’m bisexual, by the way.” It was a lot easier to say these days. “Aaron’s gay though.” 

 

Aaron set a plate of toast down in front of him. “Here. I didn’t burn it, see?” He glanced at Andy and Victoria, who seemed frozen in their places. “If you want anything, help yourself.” 

 

He seemed oddly calm, but Robert decided that it was just too early to deal with this. Once they’d had some breakfast, and maybe a cup of coffee, they’d probably be ready for a full-blown freak out. 

 

“How is this real,” Vic choked, walking over to the chair and sinking down beside them. “This isn’t even possible.” 

 

“How the hell do we get back?” Andy said, glancing around the room. 

 

Vic groaned and rubbed her forehead, and then looked up again, glancing between the two of them. “This is _so_ weird,” she sighed. “…Do I get married?” 

 

Robert saw Andy pale from the corner of his eye.


	2. Paddy

“I’m just — I’m just proud of you, you know? I’m just so _happy_ to see you like this — well, not uh, happy to _see_ because, uh — nothing wrong with it, obviously, but, well, you’re like a son to me Aaron and — and I don’t really want to see you doing — _that_ with anyone, man or woman. But if you are going to do _that_ with anyone, then I’m glad it’s a man. Even if it’s him.”

 

“Paddy,” Aaron said flatly, just glad that he had all his clothes back on. He was never letting Robert talk him into having sex in the living room ever again, whether the house was ‘empty’ or not (well there hadn't been much _talking,_ and it had been more impulsive than anything, but still). “Shut up. _Please.”_

 

“Right.” Paddy removed his glasses and rubbed his eyes. The stark bruises on his face made it clear what time period he’d arrived from. Aaron would’ve felt a lot more guilty if he wasn’t getting over the horror of having his pseudo-father-from-the-past walking in on him and his husband in a compromising position. 

 

“Why does this keep happening?” Robert muttered, although he didn’t seem nearly as upset as Aaron did. Aaron guessed that it had something to do with the memory of Andy and Vic’s visit — having _Paddy_ show up was bad enough, but Robert was probably just relieved that it wasn’t his brother or sister.

 

“So…what exactly _is_ this?” Paddy asked, looking around the house. “Because the last thing I remember was…well, I was at home, and then suddenly I was here. And I saw you two, and, uh…” He gestured at them, flushing bright red.

 

Aaron and Robert exchanged a glance. 

 

“It’s time travel, we think,” Robert said, sounding very sure of himself for someone who had no idea what the hell was happening. “Vic and Andy showed up the other day.”

 

Paddy looked surprised. “Vic and Andy? Really? They never said.” 

 

Robert frowned thoughtfully. Vic and Andy hadn’t stuck around for long, disappearing shortly after their arrival, and sending Aaron and Robert into a panic thinking that they’d screwed up the timeline, or something just as bad. When nothing drastically changed — and a quick call to Vic, and then Andy proved that neither of them had _any_ idea what they were talking about — they’d decided that whatever had happened hadn’t yielded any lasting effects.

 

They hadn’t exactly expected any new arrivals, and for the past few days, nothing had happened. They’d gone on with life as usual, looking after Seb, going to work, trying to be there for Liv who was still grieving for Gerry.

 

Then Liv had gone off to school today, and Rebecca had taken Seb for the day, and Aaron and Robert had finally had some time to themselves. Well, as much time as they could fit in between work, but breaks existed for a reason. So they’d gone home, and one thing had led to another, and they’d both ended up on the sofa, with Aaron thinking, _‘Holy shit, yes.’_ Sure, he adored Seb, but having a wailing baby in the house every night really affected your sex life.

 

Clothes had started coming off, and everything was heading in the right direction, and then — well, there’d been a sudden crash, and a voice that sounded horrifically like Paddy’s had yelled, _“Oh my GOD!”_ and Aaron had pushed Robert off him so hard that his husband had been sent crashing to the floor.

 

For a moment the two of the had just stared at Paddy — it had taken Aaron a few moments to notice the hair on his head, something that was obviously missing from his present-self’s head — and the man had stared back at them, gaping with a mixture of horror, embarrassment and shock. And then they’d gone scrambling for their clothes, both beet red.

 

 _“Time travel,”_ Paddy murmured, shaking his head. “I’d think you were both mad if — well, if an older version of Aaron wasn’t sitting right in front of me.” Paddy looked at him, and his eyes shone slightly. “Look at you though. Grown up, haven’t you?” He frowned. “So uh — am I stuck here?” 

 

Aaron shook his head. “No, I don’t think so. Vic and Andy didn’t stay for long.” God, he hoped Paddy would be leaving soon. He needed time to recover from this.

 

Paddy coughed. “So — you, uh, accepted it then?” 

 

Robert looked confused, but Aaron felt his stomach churn in embarrassment. 

 

“Because — I was really scared for you, you know? But — well you’re obviously — you were with _him_ so I assume that — ”

 

“Paddy,” Aaron said, because at this rate Paddy was just torturing both of them, “I’m happy. Robert and I are married.” 

 

 _“Married,”_ Paddy said, his eyes widening in amazement. “That’s brilliant! I mean obviously he isn’t the person I imagined you being with — ”

 

“Obviously,” Robert said flatly. 

 

“I’m pretty sure up until a few days ago, the ‘person’ you imagined me being with was a woman," Aaron pointed out.

 

“I’m just happy for you. Really eases my mind, knowing you end up like this. Even if it’s with Robert Sugden — uh, sorry. I just mean…well I didn’t think you were…gay.”

 

“I’m bisexual,” Robert sighed. 

 

“Right. Well, that explains some things. Well, not some things but — this. It explains this.” Paddy nodded his head firmly, and Aaron couldn’t help but let his lips twitch fondly despite everything. 

 

Aaron nodded at the bruises on Paddy’s face. “So — I’m guessing that just happened.” 

 

“Oh right,” Paddy said, looking slightly embarrassed. “It’s alright, you know? Worth it, knowing that you’re happy now.” 

 

Aaron felt a warm feeling settle inside him. “I really am.” 

 

“Married,” Paddy murmured, shaking his head.

 

“Got a son too,” Robert said, meeting Aaron’s eyes, and giving him a quick grin. Aaron felt his smile widened, and he moved closer to his husband. 

 

Paddy’s eyes widened. “What, really? That’s amazing!”

 

“Yeah,” Aaron said, turning back to him and grinning. “So I guess you’re a granddad now, huh?” 

 

Paddy’s eyes widened, and he stared at Aaron in what only could be described as amazement. Aaron couldn’t help but grin. Sure, Paddy’s entrance had been nothing short of horrific, but he’d put the man through a lot over the years. And God knows, there would be things coming for this version of Paddy after this — things he didn’t really want to warn him about. Maybe he was being selfish, but he didn’t want to see that look of amazed happiness go away. 

 

Well, things had worked out in the end. Aaron was happy now, happier than he’d ever been, and Paddy had played a large part in getting him here. He never would've made it if he hadn’t had the man’s support in those early years. He was just glad he had a chance to let him see that.

 

Although, once Paddy went back to his own time — assuming that was what happened what they left here, and assuming everything would go smoothly as it had with Vic and Andy — he and Robert _really_ needed to come up with a solution to this.


	3. Chas

Chas had no idea what was going on; all she knew was that this _really_ wasn’t improving her day. She was already in a foul mood after everything that had happened. Aaron, her son, could be going to _prison._ He could be locked up for God knew how long, and after what he’d done, Chas wasn’t even sure if she could find it in herself to defend him. He’d hit that poor lad, and for what? Because he was gay? Her son had carried out a _hate crime,_ and Chas had never been more disgusted with him. It didn’t help that she had Cain, and Uncle Zak and her dad yammering away in her ear, telling her that Aaron had probably been provoked, that they were sure he had a reason for it, that he hadn't _really_ done anything wrong.

 

God, with role models like that, no wonder he’d done it.

 

So yes, Chas was in a terrible mood, and finding herself standing in the middle of an unfamiliar house, faced with a unfortunately familiar face, all Chas could think was, _‘Oh God, now what?’_

 

She had no idea how she’d ended up here. Her last memory was going to bed, with Carl trying his best to comfort her, and then the next thing she knew was here, face-to-face with Robert Sugden of all people.

 

On the bright side, she thought gleefully, he looked like he’d aged about ten years since the last time she’d seen him.

 

“What are you doing here? Where am I?” she demanded, while Robert stared at her, bewildered. He was standing in his pajamas, a glass of water clutched in his hand. An awful thought hit her. “Oh god…we didn’t sleep together, did we?” 

 

God knows what Robert Sugden was doing back in the village, but she was alone in what she assumed was his house (and how had Robert Sugden afforded such a nice place?) and Chas wouldn’t have been surprised if she’d ended up consuming a copious amount of alcohol after everything that had happened, which might explain her current memory loss.

 

Which, considering Robert’s current state of dress, would be a _very bad thing._

 

Robert took a step back, his eyes widening in disgust. “Chas, what he hell?! Of course not!”

 

Chas scowled at him. “I’m not exactly pleased about this either! What the hell am I doing here?!”

 

“How should I know?! You — ” He stopped abruptly, and squinted at her. “You look — did you dye your hair?” 

 

“What?” she blinked incredulously. “ _That’s_ what you’re worried about?” 

 

“Oh God,” he said, his eyes widening in realisation. Chas felt a stab of irritation — oh that was great, _he_ knew what was going on; now could he please clue her in? 

 

“What?” she asked, narrowing her eyes.

 

Before Robert could answer, she heard the shrill sound of a baby crying. Her eyes jerked towards the spiral staircase (very pretty, but hardly practical, in her opinion) and Robert frowned and took a few steps towards it.

 

A moment later a figure walked downstairs — a man, tall, bearded, unfamiliar. He was holding a baby in his arms.

 

“Seb woke up,” he explained. “Thought I’d just bring him down — _Mum?”_

 

For a moment Chas wasn’t sure what he was talking about, and then she _really_ saw him, and despite the fact that he looked older, despite the beard, and despite the fact that he actually seemed to have hair for a change — how could she _not_ recognise him?

 

“Aaron?” she choked.

 

“Mum,” he repeated. “You…” his voice trailed off, and he studied her for a moment, his eyes flickering from her hair to her face. He sighed. “Oh. This again.”

 

This was mad. This was absolutely _insane._ She glanced from Aaron, _her_ boy who didn’t look much like a boy anymore, to Robert flamin’ Sugden, to Aaron again, and decided that it was probably the shock that made her first thought be, _‘Goddammit so Robert Sugden didn’t prematurely age after all?’_

 

…

 

She wasn’t sure how to process any of this. _Time travel?_ It was crazy. It wasn’t possible.

 

Except the proof was right in front of her, wasn’t it? Even ignoring Robert (and the annoying fact that he’d actually aged pretty damn well), there was no ignoring that this was definitely Aaron, and he _definitely_ wasn’t eighteen anymore.

 

“Time travel,” she muttered. “That — Jesus. Time travel.” Well, at the very least it took her mind of other pressing issues. Although it brought up a whole list of other concerns. “How am I going to get home?” 

 

Oh God, what if she was stuck here? 

 

Neither Robert nor Aaron looked particularly concerned. 

 

“Don’t worry,” Aaron said, sounding strangely soothing and amiable. Chas wasn’t used to him addressing her with anything other than hostility or scorn. “This has happened before. You just get sent back — well I’m almost certain you do, because nothing _here_ has changed.”

 

“This has happened _before?”_

 

“Yeah.” Aaron nodded. “With Vic and Andy. And then Paddy.”

 

 _“Paddy?”_ Paddy had come here, and he’d never told her? Sure they’d broken up, but they were on better terms now, and — well you don’t keep something like _that_ a secret.

 

“Yeah,” Aaron nodded, and then cocked his head to the side, frowning. “Is this before or after I hit Paddy?”

 

Chas tensed slightly at the reminder of her son’s violent tendencies, and she saw a flicker of guilt in his eyes. “After,” she said.

 

“And Paddy, he hasn’t been acting strangely or anything? What’s the most recent thing you remember?” 

 

“You hit that boy,” she said, after a moment of hesitation. She didn’t really want to talk about it. The reminder of what Aaron had done, and what might happen to him, was just too much.

 

Aaron tensed. “Oh.”

 

Robert frowned slightly, and touched his shoulder gently. That was odd, Chas decided. She never would have pegged the two of them as being friends. 

 

“I don’t think anything’s changed,” he said at last. “Which means our theory is probably correct — you probably don’t remember anything about this when you go back.” 

 

Great. Chas wasn’t really sure how she felt about that.

 

“So, why are you living here together?” she asked, trying to get her mind off how completely messed up this whole situation was, and how completely messed up the situation back at home was. Although, as soon as she asked the question, she realised that this didn’t exactly make sense either. Also — Aaron had been holding a _baby_ before.

 

Oh.

 

“Was that your kid?” she asked, her eyes wide. “The one from before.”

 

“Robert’s,” Aaron corrected. Chas nodded, not sure whether to feel disappointed or not. Aaron flushed slightly, and said, his voice almost shy, “But, uh…yeah, he’s mine too.”

 

Robert shot him a grin. Chas stared at them blankly.

 

“Huh?”

 

Aaron shrugged. “Robert. He’s my husband. So — Seb, he’s my kid too.”

 

“Oh,” Chas said, while thinking, _‘What the flippin hell?’_

 

Robert snorted, grinning. 

 

“You’re um — ” What? “Your gay?” 

 

That or this was some huge joke, which honestly made more sense. Chas didn’t have any problem if Aaron _was_ gay, but…well, her son was as straight as they came. She remembered the way he’d been chasing after Victoria Sugden and Holly Barton. And Robert? God knows how many women he’d gone through in his life. Poor Katie was just one of the many victims of his antics.

 

“Yeah I am,” Aaron said, shrugging. 

 

“I’m bisexual,” Robert said. “Which should answer your burning questions about how any of this is possible.” 

 

Well, that did answer a few things.

 

She turned to her son, shaking her head. “But — that boy. You hit him because _he_ was gay.” 

 

Aaron swallowed, lowering his gaze slightly. Robert looked concerned and placed a hand on his shoulder.

 

“Not exactly,” Aaron said quietly. “Jackson and I were — seeing each other. Sort of. I just…freaked out. I wasn’t ready to deal with it then, you know? I kept thinking of what would happen if everyone found out — you’d all reject me, I’d lose my family — ”

 

“Not possible,” she said firmly. God it was a shock to find out that Aaron had been _dating_ that lad he’d hit, but she set that aside. This was more important. She needed him to know that she would never reject him for something like that.

 

“I know that,” Aaron said, smiling at her. Chas stared at him, and couldn’t help but be taken aback by the change in him. “I’ve lived through it, remember? Some of the family took a bit of time to understand it — ”

 

“Zak and Cain?” Chas asked, snorting slightly. She could imagine what her brother would have been like.

 

Aaron shook his head. “No, Cain was really supportive actually.”

 

Chas’s brow raised. Well, that was a shocker.

 

“But everyone was really good. And well…it took me some time, but I’m happy with who I am, and what I have now with Robert, with Seb and Liv — my little sister — I wouldn’t change that for the world.”

 

Chas shook her head. God, this was a lot to take in. And Robert Sugden sure as hell wasn’t someone Chas would have chosen for _anyone_ let alone her own son but — Aaron _did_ look happy. And Robert looked decidedly less bastardly than usual.

 

Chas settled back into her seat. Well, if she was going to be here for a while, she might as well use her time wisely.

 

“So,” she said, grinning. “That baby — my _grandson —_ can I officially meet him now?” 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally got the next chapter of this out!!! Sorry for the long wait. Tell me what you think :) 
> 
> I also have another time travel fic planned (I am obsessed with these things haha) where Robert and Aaron end up in their younger bodies (and I mean their bodies from around 2009-ish, because I’m obsessed with the show in this time period haha), so if you like time travel, keep an eye out for that :)

**Author's Note:**

> This is the weirdest fic idea I've come up with haha...and I'm not even sure where I'm going with this, or who I'll have showing up, but we'll see how it goes xD 
> 
> Tell me what you think!


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